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Blogs

Bootcamp – Bridge The Gap Workouts, LLC

April 25, 2019April 24, 2019by Meghan and Melissa1 Comment

Location: Lansdale, PA

Instructor: Danielle

Exercise Type: Bootcamp – This was a full body workout, with stations were set throughout the weightroom. We completed 45 seconds of weights, followed by 45 seconds of resistance. We worked hard and burned our arms, legs, booty, and abs throughout class completing various exercises from bicep curls to squats. In between sets, we completed cardio to get our heart rate up. The last round through the stations was just resistance exercises to get more cardio. It was the perfect way to start the day and leave me feeling strong all day long with natural energy!

Place: Gym

Day of the Week: Thursday

Time: 5:30 am- Danielle kicked my butt in 45 minute minutes, so I was in and out of class by 6:15 am and ready to start my day!

Price: $10; Packages and memberships available

What to Wear: Leggings; T-shirt/Tank Top; Sneakers

What to Bring: Water; Towel

What is Provided: Weights; Variety of workout equipment (Beware – the booty band!)

Level of Experience: All levels seen

Gender Majority: Female

Age Group: All

Welcoming: Yes! Danielle always greets you with a warm and motivating welcome! She continues this throughout class so you can have your best workout!

Cleanliness: Yes

Unique Features: Although you know what to expect throughout the stations, Danielle always has some way to keep you guessing with cardio in between rounds or a challenge at the end. Let’s just say I was burning my way through the last set of resistance for a cardio set and it was exactly what we all needed to finish our workout strong!

Exercising in the morning has so many benefits that last all day. I had natural energy that I didn’t need from coffee and I was much happier that I got my workout in early so I could see my babies at night. It was not a strain on my family as the kids were still snoozing when I got home. And lastly, my headache that I was fighting all night was GONE! Yes, I came with a headache and left without one. I’ll take that when my stress level is high.

Thank you for another awesome, kickass workout, Danielle! You know that I’ll be back!

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Blogs

Do You Have The Hots For The Jonas Brothers? Yup. So Does This Mom!

April 22, 2019April 22, 2019by Meghan and Melissa1 Comment

Why does this mama have the hots for the Jonas Brothers?! Seriously, aren’t they like 12 years old? HA! It sure seems like that to me, but God, that new song is in my head ALL. DAY. LONG. Why is it so good? Even my two year old is singing, “Sucker for you, sucker, sucker, sucker.” It’s probably not the best word to teach her, but I can’t listen to Daniel Tiger songs any longer. Even though the recreated Mr. Rogers tv show is my daughter’s (and mine and my husband’s) life lesson, I just can’t anymore. Thank you Scary Mommy for pointing that out to me.

Ok I’m rambling. Jonas Brothers, Jonas Brothers. Oh yeah. Is it getting hot in here? Why am I weak in the knees all of a sudden. Anyways, this week has sucked for me. I’m busy at work with client deadlines (‘tis the season to be an accountant), so I didn’t have time to go to another workout class. I wanted to keep up my workout routine, so I decided to just go for a run around my neighborhood. A run, you say? Yes! Twice in two weeks, and this time my husband didn’t even screw up. I put on my running shoes and played Sucker on repeat for the whole 2.5 miles I ran (more like slowly jogged, but it still counts!).

What are your favorite songs in your workout playlist? Next time I post about playlists, I promise I will share my complete one. It might or might not be made up of Tupac songs. Until next time…

Meghan

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Fitness Tips

Friday Fitness Tip: How Parking Farther Can Allow For That Extra Glass Of Wine

April 19, 2019April 15, 2019by Meghan and Melissa8 Comments

Exercising is tough. Errands are also tough. Circling a parking lot to find the closest spot possible is commonplace. Wait, what?! Why do we all do this? I have actually spent a lengthy amount of time waiting to find a parking spot that is 2 spaces closer. And I preach exercising to my child. This week’s Friday Fitness Tip is to “Park Farther Away On Purpose.”

When pulling into work, park at the far end of the lot to maximize your steps into and out of the office. Maybe even get a little trot going when leaving work since it’s a Friday. Just imagine this… parking 10 spots further away can help you burn an extra 10 calories every time you walk from your car to your destination. Do that a couple of times a day and enjoy that extra glass of wine on the weekend.

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Blogs

Is Your Husband Taking Advantage Of You? Here’s What You Should Do.

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019by Meghan and MelissaLeave a Comment

Doesn’t it seem like us women are picking up more and more of the slack lately? I was thinking this last Friday, when my husband went out after work. Now, normally, I don’t mind if he goes to happy hour once and a while. I mean, he does support me with my working out on a regular basis, and is more than happy to help out with our daughter when I need some time to myself. But this time was different. He was much later than he said he would be, and it felt like he was completely taking advantage of the situation. He knew I was home with our daughter, and it felt like he had no regard for being home on time.

I was furious when he finally got home, but instead of creating a scene in front of our daughter, I took a different approach. I went to the gym for a run. It was exhilarating. I had the best run I have had in years, which is a big deal because I am NOT a runner by any sense of the word. Typically I get on the treadmill and hope I don’t fall off. This time I was actually turning up the speed as I went. I channeled all of the anger I had into a positive output, and left feeling great. Well, still a little angry, but sweaty and accomplished.

I walked in the house from the gym to apologies and a cooked dinner. I mean it was frozen pizza heated in the oven, but it’s the thought that counts, right? There was also a glass of wine poured and waiting for me in my favorite spot on the couch. Not only did the new approach work with my husband (which I never would have guessed actually), but I accomplished a great workout in addition. Next time your husband pisses you off, instead of yelling at him, try working off some steam at the gym. Maybe his reaction when you get home will surprise you. It sure surprised me.

Thanks for reading!

Meghan

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Easy & Make-Ahead Recipes

Easy Roasted Lemon-Garlic Shrimp (Skinnytaste)

April 15, 2019April 12, 2019by Meghan and MelissaLeave a Comment

Some crazy days lead into crazy dinner nights! Tonight was one of them. I got the kids all set, but what about me? Well… what about an easy and yummy meal just under 10 minutes from start to finish? This Easy Roasted Lemon-Garlic Shrimp recipe from Skinnytaste is a winner! I love the taste and simplicity of this go-to meal for mommy.

Enjoy!

Melissa

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Easy Roasted Lemon-Garlic Shrimp (Skinnytaste)

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs shelled and deveined jumbo shrimp (36) I only did ½ pound for myself of large raw shrimp from the Seafood section at Wegmans

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 lemon, juice of

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray 2 large nonstick baking trays with cooking spray.

Combine the shrimp, garlic, oil and crushed red pepper together in a bowl and stir to combine.

Arrange the shrimp on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast 6 to 8 minutes or until the shrimp turns opaque.

Squeeze lemon over the shrimp and garnish with parsley.

Fitness Tips

Friday Fitness Tip – Display Your Results

April 12, 2019April 11, 2019by Meghan and Melissa4 Comments

Once you see the results, it becomes an addiction.

This week’s Friday Fitness Tip is to “Display Your Results.” You might be thinking, “what are MY results?” Well, results can mean different things to different people. Maybe you want to track how many days/minutes you worked out in a week, how many inches/pounds you lost/gained in a week, how many times you meal prepped this week, etc. Displaying results can be motivating in itself. If you are ahead in your results, go you! If you are behind in your results, it will hopefully motivate you to work a little harder to achieve your goals, and then you can Celebrate Your Small Wins!

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Blogs

Vinyasa Flow – Twisters Wellness Centers

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019by Meghan and Melissa4 Comments

Name: Twisters Wellness Centers

Location: Ambler, PA

Instructor: Dan – he was great! He constantly walked around the room and helped with form, and also encouraged us to try some harder poses.

Exercise Type: Vinyasa Flow – All Levels – we really enjoyed this class! Class started out with some light stretching, and then we went into the vinyasa flows. There were a decent amount of planks, which keep these mamas’ cores tight! We also did a bunch of hip-opener exercises, and practiced our handstands towards the end of class. Handstands are SO HARD! Luckily, Dan showed us how to practice by using the wall in front of us, which helped a little. We were in awe of one woman who had the perfect handstand. #handstandgoals

Place: Studio – When we walked into the studio we were blown away by how gorgeous it was! Nice wood floors, and windows lining the one wall, which let in the perfect amount of light. There were also tiny lights (could have even been Christmas lights) around the upper perimeter of the room. It was very relaxing and serene.

Day of the Week: Wednesday – this was a great “hump day” workout because it incorporated a good amount of stretching and meditating at the end of class, which refueled out tired mommy bodies!

Time: 7:05 – 8:05 PM – make sure you give yourself extra time because parking was an issue for us. There is a public lot located next to the studio. It was also one of the first nice nights (weather-wise), so that could have attributed to our parking troubles. There were a lot of people out and about… we also should have taken advantage of the nice weather and grabbed a drink after class! There is a new brewery right below the studio, and we will definitely be checking that out next time! Tannery Run

Price: $50 for a 30-day unlimited trial for new clients; other packages and memberships available.

What to Wear: Leggings; t-shirt/tank top; bare feet

What to Bring: Mat & water

What is Provided: Blocks

Level of Experience: All levels

Gender Majority: Mix

Age Group: Various – we are in our early 30’s and we were probably in the middle somewhere

Welcoming: Yes! Dan introduced himself to us right away, asked if we had any injuries, any questions, etc.

Cleanliness: Yes.

Unique Features: As mentioned above, the handstands towards the end of class was a unique feature. This is not something we get to practice often, so it is really exciting when we get the opportunity!

Thank you so much for having us! We really enjoyed your class, and can’t wait to come back with our handstands perfected!

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Blogs

Am I Having An Identity Crisis?

April 8, 2019April 8, 2019by Meghan and Melissa1 Comment

I’ve known my whole life that I wanted to be a mommy and a teacher. Now that I’m here, is this what I really want? Tired, overworked, face full of wrinkles and under eye circles? What more would I want?

Thinking back to the good old days, I spent hours getting ready for a night out on the town. Maybe a nap? Shower. Blow out my hair. Do my makeup. Don’t want to meet up until 10 PM? Sure, that works for me! Or maybe we’ll skip tonight and day drink tomorrow. Mimosas at brunch? Count me in!

Ugh. I love when younger people without kids say they’re tired. Like they really know what that means. But that’s ok. They’ll find out the hard way, just like us. Bahahaha.

Well, I wonder what would have happened if [this] or [that] stayed the same and never changed? What if… I moved to Hawaii and took a job? What if… we continued to rent and not bought a house so quickly? What if… I didn’t want to be a teacher in the way I thought I needed to be? Do you ever question things or fantasize how things could be different? What if… we moved to a place that made us happy?

Now, I’m not one to think the grass is greener on the other side, but what if…

Yes, careers may change. Roles in life my change. Seasons will change. People will come and go, but family? It’s forever, and I’m glad to have two amazing littles call me “mommy”, lots of kids to call me “Mrs. Wallace”, and an awesome hubby to call me “Meem”.

Then I bring myself to the present. My two beautiful babies. Oh my god, do I love them. My husband. The man that made me believe there were good fish left in the sea and we could do anything together. One day I will have mimosa at brunch again, and I will have a fun-filled night of dancing. And maybe even a slight hangover. I would love to live in a beautiful place that made me feel inspired and alive, but I wouldn’t feel like that without my family. So we’ll have to do with the extremes of each season here in good old PA. And that’s ok. I can continue to fantasize and wonder, because each time it brings me back to the present. And my golly, I’m one lucky lady.

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Easy & Make-Ahead Recipes

Taco Pizza

April 6, 2019April 5, 2019by Meghan and MelissaLeave a Comment

Ok so this next one is one of my specialties. I call it the “Taco Pizza” only because I use a taco shell as my crust, there is nothing else “taco” about it. I have told you all before that I am really bad when it comes to eating lunch. I usually skip it, because it is too hard for me to come up with something easy to make. The one day I was in the mood for pizza, but the kid was napping, and I had no cash for pizza delivery. I brainstormed, and came up the the perfect solution! Let me introduce to you to… the Taco Pizza! Easy, healthy, and delicious, especially if you are a pizza lover like me.

Enjoy!

Meghan

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